Maquette plastique d'avion ETENDARD IVP/IVM 1:48

KH80137 - 1/48 ETENDARD IVP/IVM plastic model aircraft

The Étendard IV (Étendard IVM and Étendard IVP) is a light attack aircraft built by Dassault for use on aircraft carriers. A total of 90 were built, and were in service with the French Navy from 1962 to 2000.

The first Étendard IVM prototype made its maiden flight on May 21, 19581. The second aircraft features the full weapons system, in-flight refueling boom and folding wings. The third was fitted with a British Rolls-Royce Avon engine and wing-blast system, but was lost in a ground explosion. The fourth was the first to feature a keel under the nose, to improve roll stability2. Finally, the seventh prototype is the Étendard IVP reconnaissance version, which no longer has 30 mm cannons, but features a modified nose to accommodate cameras and can carry a removable photo container mounted under the fuselage. It made its maiden flight on November 19, 1960.

The first catapulting and landing tests were carried out at the Royal Navy test center in 1960, then on board the aircraft carrier Clemenceau in late 1960/early 1961. The first production aircraft took to the skies on July 26, 1961. The 90 examples ordered were delivered to the French Navy between December 9, 1961 and May 26, 1965. Replaced by the Super-Etendard, the last Étendard IVMs were retired in 1991, while the Étendard IVP and PM were kept until 2000.